From the Blog

Dean featured on Cashbox Canada’s site

Dean Miller ‘Til You Stop Getting Up

Country singer Dean Miller has the lineage and the talent, now he just needs a chance for the rest of the world to be exposed to his music. And his new CD with it’s lead single, ‘‘Til You Stop Getting Up’ is his best bet yet to accomplish this.

The son of country music legend Roger Miller, Dean has worked hard to carve out his own identity within the close knit country community. “I loved my dad and we had a great life growing up. I know I look like him and inherited some of his talent but I need to establish myself as an artist by my own merit. People think being the son of a Hall of Fame legend makes it easy. It might get you into the meeting but then they expect even more from you. OK, your Dad was a genius, what have you got?” Dean has had some success as a songwriter, “ I’ve had cuts by some major artists, Trace Adkins and Eric Church. Even have a Canadian connection. Terri Clark recorded my tune “A Little Gasoline.”

Dean was born in Los Angeles and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he got his musical start in bars and clubs around Santa Fe. He moved back to Los Angeles in the 80s and joined a band called the Sarcastic Hillbillies. Miller later moved to Nashville, Tennessee signing on as a staff songwriter for Sony/Tree Publishing.

By 1995, he was signed to the Nashville division of Liberty Records, which was later assumed into the fold of Capitol Records, Nashville. Two years later, his debut album was released on the Capitol Label featuring the single “Nowhere, USA.” In 2002, Miller signed to the newly formed Universal South Records, recording his second album, Just Me. Miller signed to the country music division of Koch Entertainment in 2005. His third album, titled Platinum, was released that same year. Koch Entertainment closed its country division in 2005 which leads us to Miller’s latest offering on the Off The Verge label.

Dean Miller and Kris KristoffersonThe ten track offering of original Dean Miller songs is a great listen and shows off Miller’s songwriting ability as well as his knack of vocal interpretation. The lead track “Begging For A Bullet” sets the tone set with its rock edged tracks and gritty vocal. The next song, “Stay”, is a well constructed story with a definite pop feel, well produced and performed. “An Angel Believes in Me” is a country boy’s song of thanks for the belief and love of a special woman. “This is Where it All Goes Right” sounds like a summer drive, top down, cruising down the highway song; infectious and melodic. “A River Cross My Heart” is a regretful, hurtin’ country song. Well done boys.’ ’Til You Stop Getting Up’ is the lead single and the current video, featuring family friend Kris Kristofferson. “I wanted Kris in the video because the song is sort of his life story. He was a fighter and kept getting up. I asked him to be in the video and he said yes!” “My Heart is in Your Hands” is a simple song showing the singer’s willingness to give his all to his love including his heart. “Kill My Love” shows a little of the darker side of Miller, “broken memories, keep the past alive in me” as he looks for a nameless partner to ease his pain. “San Francisco” is a haunting story of a never to be forgotten summer that still haunts him but lives on. The set closes with “I’m a Leaver” a tale of an unsettled man who lives for the freedom of the open road and just can’t plant roots.

This is a well produced piece of work, simple and clear, it lets the song and the singer be the star, and it should gain a whole new legion of fans to Dean Miller’s list as well as pleasing his existing fan base. Dean sums it up thusly: “The whole theme of this record is about: You ain’t a loser ’’Til You Stop Getting Up. You’ve got to keep getting up one more time more than the next guy.”